"Sitting in the same room while you fiddle on your computer and I read isn't spending time together."

"I'll meet you there. Go or you'll be late."

"Do you promise to be there?"

"I promise."

Joss wasn't thrilled with the way their date was going. Sure Thomas wasn't into country music anymore but it was a fair trade for going to one of his fancy company dinners. "I least was on time to that." Sighed Joss tucking her phone into the back pocket of her tight jeans. Walking thru the kitchen she grabbed her keys to her truck and left.

A large part of Joss expected Tom to not show so when she got the call three songs in with the first band she was a little late in answering because it was such a shock. "Thomas?"

"Every hillbilly hick crawled out of the woods for this. I shocked that there isn't a trailer in sight."

The comment stung in a way that Tom didn't seem to understand anymore. She considered herself to be just like the people here, hard work middle class folk just looking to have a good time. "Yeah well I really wanted to bring mine but it clashed with my boots."

"Oh don't get like that. You know if you got a real job-"

"I have a real job!" Joss stressed over the phone as she made her way to the front gate.

"I'm glad you think so."

There was a lot that she wanted to say but she pruned her lips and clamped her jaw. "Where are you." Joss' voice was firm and clipped with annoyance.

"Waiting for you." Tom moaned as if she hadn't been waiting for him to get home and he was the only one to do the waiting in their marriage.

Jane and Trent hadn't started out in the best of circumstances. They grew up as high school sweethearts, and everyone expected them to get married, have kids, and carry on the tradition. Jane wanted to get out of the small town, and Trent just wanted to enjoy his life. Slowly but surely that was becoming harder and harder.

"Why are we going to this stupid festival?" Jane said, her tone clearly showing her displeasure. Anything remotely country sounding Jane hated, even if she had never heard it in her life.

Trent knew better than to argue, so instead he just shut his mouth, holstered his pistol, and went to start the truck. He knew he would get a look or two from Jane for carrying a gun, but after 13 years of logging, he never left home without his gun.

After starting the truck up and waiting, Trent slowly relived the bad decisions. He wanted Jane to be happy, so instead of going to college to be a vet, he told her to follow her dream, and he would support her. Unfortunately, that lasted two semesters, then Jane was back home, crying about how unfair life was.

After she got back from school, things went downhill as Trent picked up more shifts to save what little money he could before Jane blew it on needless things, like $400 shoes, or purses, or clothes. He had his own separate account now, and was putting the majority of his paycheck into it, but still was unhappy. He wanted to get away, and that was where the music festivals helped.

As Jane walked out of the house, slamming the door and then locking it, Trent muttered a curse under his breath, wishing he hadn't made the mistake.

"You think this place has anything good to drink? I could use a few drinks."

Joss nodded towards a largish tent filled with people. "That's the beer tent." She snapped already tired of his complaining. This wasn't the first time that Tom has been to one of these but he was sophisticated now and only drank wine and never out of a bottle.

"Goodie, drunks. I'm not going in there. These are my favorite slacks."

Seriously?!?!?! Joss' mind screamed. You're at a country music festival! Who wears loafers, slacks and a tucked in button up. "Well I need something so I can get you something."

Tom made a face. "On the off chance that they have something that I'll drink-"

Joss didn't wait of any more before she left towards the tent. "I don't know why I expected him to enjoy this." She sighed tilting her head to the man guarding the entrance to the beer tent.

"Hey Joss here alone?" Mark asked. They knew each other from work, he was a wrangler with a mean left hook.

"I'm starting to wish that I was." She smiled. The whole crew know of the relationship between her and Tom. Heck some of them used to even be Tom's friends but now they all thought he was a prissy douche and she didn't disagree enough to argue.

"Ah. Well the first one is on me." Mark held out a red ticket and Joss took it her fake smile starting to be replaced with a real one.

"Thanks Mark."

----------------------------------------------------------------

"I got you a guinness, it was the most expensive bottle they had." Joss added in hopes that Tom wouldn't have anything to say about the plastic bottle that it came in or the coors light in her hand.

"Do you think they have a glass?" Then his face wrinkled as he took the bottle and felt what it was made of. "I'm guessing not."

"I can get you a red solo cup." Joss batted her eyelashes knowing that Tom hated that song. "And then you can fill it up and we can party!"

"God you're impossible!" Tom snarled stomping away from the music and people.

"And your not?" She silently tossed at his back as she watched him leave. Joss was almost positive that Tom was leaving and she wasn't going to ruin her night and follow him just so they could fight when they got back home and went to their separate bedrooms. So she waved good bye with a single finger and made her way back to the crowd of singing, dancing, drinking people who while she didn't know liked them better then her husband at the moment.

It was nice to lose herself in the music, to sing along with the songs she knew, scream and shout when the bands finished their last song and scream and shout again as a new band came out. Everything seemed to be going good until a wave in the crowd of people launched Joss into some person and the smell of cold beer soaked right into her shoulder and side.

"Aww. It smells like bud, gross." She teased with a smile. Having someone's beer being poured all over her didn't even bother her. It was a country music festival and if things like this bothered you, sit in the back on the hills where you'll be safe. "I'm sor- Is that a gun?" Joss tilted her head eyes fixated on the person's gun hoping that the nameless person wasn't one of those city slickers that owned a gun and wanted to show it off, aka wave it about like an idiot, at a country gig. "Can I get you another beer?" Joss looked up and the man's face and while he didn't striker her as a suit she didn't know how this man would react to losing his beer because she all but body cheeked her 5'6 133lb self into him. But no fault of her own but he didn't know that.

Trent and Jane made it to the festival in good time, but the ride there was silent. Trent could tell Jane was angry at him for another stupid reason. Yesterday it had been that he worked late. Today it was probably that he hadn't cooked dinner.

Once Trent parked, Jane immediately hopped out of the truck and went straight to the beer tent. Trent slowly followed, untucking his shirt and letting it hang over his belt and gun. He knew it was safely holstered, but didn't need to get stopped and show his permit to anyone.

Trent immediately noticed Jane coming back with a beer in each hand, and regretted bringing her. This would mean Trent was sleeping on the couch, instead of in bed. He shook his head and just followed her, knowing that those were the first of many beers.

Trent finally had enough. He took the beer from Jane, knowing she was about to either throw up or pass out. He made his way back into the crowd, then made sure that she couldn't follow him since he now had the money.

Trent was enjoying the music, and was just getting ready to get rid of the beer in his hand when something or someone ran into him. He didn't mean to, but the beer ended up all over the girl.

"I'm sorry," Trent said, immediately moving back from the girl. When she asked if he wanted something else, he just shook his head. Trent never drank, not after seeing what it did to his father and now Jane.

"Would you like my help in cleaning up?" Trent asked, hoping he didn't seem imposing with his 6'4" 230lb frame. He forgot that he still had on his work boots and the normal flannels that he wore, so he did know he looked intimidating. Trent tried to smile in an unthreatening way, but wasn't sure he succeeded.

Joss saw the smile and felt at ease. "No, it was my fault. I tried to body check you and failed. Lesson learned." She touched her shoulder but know it was no use, she feel the cotton lace top stick to her side and the overflow run down her body. "Wooha" The crowd pushed and Joss nearly ran into the guy again. "Okay lesson not learned and I'm glad that you were only holding one beer. Urg I'm getting out of here." She was starting to feel sticky and was going to get herself some water or find a faucet to clean up.

As she pushed against the crowd she paused and looked back at the man. "You coming?" Joss smiled. "If I heard right you offered to help and with as big and scary as you look maybe I won't have to wait in line so long."

Trent chuckled, his deep voice causing people to move away from him. He quietly followed the girl and then couldn't help how absurd this seemed. He chuckled, then stepped up to ask for a few bottles of water. The bartender immediately served Trent, then went back to his business.

"Here you are," Trent said, handing the girl the waters and stepping back for her to start cleaning herself.

"Look at that. And to think you didn't even have to bat you lashes at him to get attention." It wasn't fair but then again he was huge and I wouldn't want to make him mad either. "Thanks for that waters and sorry about spilling your beer." Joss cracked opened the top of the water and took a nice long drink from it. It was cool and felt great going down.

Joss backed away from the bar and the people waiting in line. For a moment Joss just stood there thinking about how to best do this but with nothing really better coming to mind she just poured the water on the beer soaked fabric and over her sticky skin hoping that this wouldn't just make a bigger mess. Being wet was fine, it dies but it was the stickiness and the smell that Joss wanted to get rid of.

"My name? Joss. Nice to meet you." She transferred the water bottle to her left hand and held out her right. "And yours?"

Trent figured it would be time to get home, so started to look for Jane. He made his way back to where he left her, then started to look around when he couldn't find her there. He was walking around the front of a tent when he heard his name being called.

"Trent could never do what you are doing right now!" Jane screamed. Trent walked around the tent to see Jane under one guy, being screwed hard, while another man put his pants back on. Trent stopped cold, his stomach clenching up.

"So I wouldn't do what this guy is doing?" Trent asked, his voice dripping venom as he quickly took his phone out, snapped a couple photos, then put it away.

"Oh, by the way, expect to be hearing from my lawyer soon," Trent said as he turned to walk towards his truck, the night thoroughly ruined.

Joss noticed Trent's rough hands and wondered want he did for a living and gave him a second over. "Trent, well keep laughing, you have a great laugh." She smiled once more and watched him leave, leaving herself shortly there after in search of somewhere that wasn't a porta potty to finish cleaning up.

---------------------------------------------

She had just finished wringing out her top and putting it back on when Joss heard Trace Adkins'. "WOOHOO!" She hollered clamping her hands above her head and picking up her pace towards the music. Joss knew she was pissing off people by cutting by to get closer but that didn't stop her from weaving and dancing her way to the front row.

From there the music was not only loud but it could be felt thru her entire body, just the way she liked it when she went to a concert. Normally she preferred her music at a reasonable sound level but with everything in her life that was going on she was find herself turn up the music to drown out her unhappiness. And this, right now feeling the bass shake her was what she needed.

Trent got to his truck, and started to pull out of the lot when he suddenly reversed and parked in a different spot, far away so that Jane wouldn't be able to find him. He knew she didn't have keys to the house, and he would be damned if he let her ruin this night.

Trent made his way back through the crowd, his physical presence making it easy to wade through the people. Before he realized it, he was swaying to the music, and felt a bump on his shoulder. Trent looked down and smiled, recognizing the lace top and the woman wearing it.

Trent gently tapped her on the shoulder and teasingly said, "You keep trying to take me out and I gonna have to return the favor." He didn't realize it, but his thick southern accent came out, a stark contrast to the northwestern state Trent lived in.

Joss felt the tap on her shoulder and looked around and had to tilt her head up to see who touched her. "Trent!" She smiled at the friendly face. He had said something and if her lips reading skills were any good she read 'Something-something-something take me out. Something-something a favor.' Okay yeah her lip reading skills sucked.

She shook her head no and lifted her left hand up and pointed at her wedding band. "I'm married." But she doubted that he could hear her because they were so close to the stage and speaker. Joss smiled and swayed to the music bumping playfully into Trent on purpose. Showing him that she was glad that they had run into each other again. He looked different though, she didn't know what was different but he like heavy of mind.

"Dance." She shouted moving her hips in time with the music tempting Trent to do the same.

Trent smiled as Joss pointed to her ring. He knew it would be hard to hear, but didn't know it would be that bad. He quickly held his hand up, then pulled his ring off and threw it, showing her why he was in a bad mood. He continued to dance, gently swaying along with Joss. He smiled every time Joss bumped into him, so he decided to return the favor, giving her a knowing smile

Trent slowly moved away from the crowd as the music stopped, determined to get a drink. The festival had turned into a giant sing along, and his throat was dry and scratchy. Trent smiled as he saw Joss following him.

It didn't matter that Joss had just met the guy tonight, she was friendly and always giving people the benefit of the doubt. She figured that he hadn't done anything that should alarm her that he was a bad guy, he had even offered and bought her water when she was the one to run into his beer. So why not make a new friend of him. No one can have too many friends, right?

Joss didn't understand what the right toss was about but maybe that was the reason he felt different. In her job it was very helpful to be able to feel the emotions of the horses and it helped that she could use it on humans. Thomas thought it was annoying and invaded his privacy when she felt him out but it was just because she cared about him. Of course it was happening less and less because a person could only take so much before they started to give up.

But tonight wasn't about that and she pushed that train of though to the back of her mind. Tonight was about great music, having fun and as it turned out making a new friend. When Trent start to edge out of the crowd Joss followed hoping that he was getting something to drink and that she wasn't following him to the pisser. That would be a little awkward. As luck would have it he was indeed just getting a drink and now that they were away from the music she could ask him what that ring thing was about.

"So my little friend." Joss teased trying to match Trent step for step. "What was that ring thing about? It looked like a wedding band. Won't the little miss be upset when you come home without it? Oh and this round of drinks are on me. For the waters earlier." She tacked on at the last minute with as stern as a voice as she could get with a large smile on her face.

Trent lost his smile at the question, then quickly recovered. He cleared his throat, then took a deep breath to steel himself for the answer.

"I found my wife cheating on me with at least two other men. I took pictures to document it, then told her I was going to file since she was cheating. Knowing her, she is either still getting screwed on the grass, or pies drunk," Trent said, smiling slightly at his misfortune.

He motioned and the bartender brought two beers over. Trent normally didn't drink, but decided tonight he was having at least one beer. He handed Joss her glass, then started to head back to the music, taking a few sips of beer before he hot back to the edge of the crowd.

Joss handed over the money at a loss for words. "Wow. I don't know that to say other then sorry. And I know it isn't my place but she kind of sounds like a bitch." I was totally out of line seeing as she just met this person tonight but it sounded right. "I know you don't really know me but is there anything I can do to help? A place to stay for a few days? As long as you promise not to steal my stuff I have a loft bedroom apartment above my garage." She offered. Because of the long hours when they did round ups and the fact that her house was the meeting place for these events the loft and spare bedrooms in her house was used often by the wranglers when they were too tired to drive home with a trailer and their horses.

"Or we can just drink our beers, listen to some music and dance pretending our lives are perfect." Joss smiled clinking her beer to Trent's. "Every once and a while lying to yourself is healthy." She said with far too much knowledge in the subject, her smile turning at the corners with sadness.

Trent knew that Joss was dealing with something like what he was dealing with, but didn't want to pry. He smiled then shook his head.

"If anyone needs a place to stay, it's the cheating whore. I just wish I knew who the two guys were, so I could figure out if this was going on longer than tonight," Trent said, then clinked beers with Joss again before going back to dancing and listening to the music, letting his troubles slip away for a short while.

It looked to Joss like Trent was done talking about what happened between him and his wife and I couldn't blame him, I just wished him the best and if I could help him take his mind off it.

Joss drank her beer and went back to dancing keeping an eye on Trent. If he did find the guys what would he do? She didn't want to see this man do anything stupid and with the gun that he had at his side there was a lot of stupid to be done if he decided to do it. She didn't know why she cared about the problems of a stranger. Maybe it was because he seemed so nice or his great chuckle. But deep down Joss knew it was because she was having similar problems and she could see the level of her unhappiness reflected at her thru his eyes and maybe if she helped him it would somehow make things better in her life.

Song after song Joss sang and danced besides Trent. More often then not she danced with her body bumping against his in part for fun and the other part for the comfort of another body. But with each song finished she knew it was that much closer to the night being over and she didn't feel like going back home. Not once did he wonder where Thomas had gone ans if he was okay once he left and it wasn't a new feeling not to care.

Trent continued to dance, not really into it all. His one beer was done, and he just wanted to go home and clean his gun and sharpen his chainsaw for the coming Monday. He needed something to take his mind off of everything, and this was currently not doing it.

Trent looked down at Joss, then smiled as he started to walk back towards his truck, a melancholic look on his face.

Joss saw the look on his face and understood how he felt. While it was true she have never caught Thomas cheating on her she had a feeling it was going on, what with the long nights and weekend business meetings out of state.

"Hey Trent." Joss called out running to catch up with him. "Not planning on sticking around till the end of the music festival? There's always an after tailgate circle bonfire after these things." She told him. She was sure that all he wanted to do was go home and do the normal things he would do and then just do to bed with that dead feeling inside his chest. She knew how that felt and knew that always felt better to distract yourself and go to bed happy.

"Look." She reached out and touched his arm. "Nothing is going to change what you saw but you need to find some happiness to replace that feeling. Most of the time it's just going have to be a lot of little things that measure up." She didn't know if her words make sense to Trent or if they even related but she wanted to help. "Why not hang out with me? I know we just met but if you don't want to stay here there are back country roads that are always empty. Fields to shot with hay bales to shot at, wild horse to try a ride or even just a swim at a lake." Joss looked up at Trent with genuine care. "What do you say? Stay and have some fun or go home to sharpen the ax and feed Babe?" It was a Paul Bunyan reference because that who she reminded Joss of. And with his giant height, big work boot and this flannels it wasn't that hard to picture him with an ax and a blue ox.

Trent smiled, then grabbed Joss's hand, pulling her towards his truck. He would be damned now if he didn't have a little bit of fun.

"How does going mudding sound?" Trent asked casually as he pulled out of the parking lot, turning the radio up to blast music. He didn't care what was on, just happy to finally have worthwhile company. He grinned as they finally reached the edge of Trent's land, all 600 acres of it. He specifically had a section for mudding when he wanted to get away.

Trent put the truck in four wheel drive then waited for Joss's answer.

Joss was happy to see Trent smile and went easily with him. Not knowing that Thomas had stayed at the music festival and saw his wife holding hands with a giant of a man as they left.

"Sounds like a blast." She answered hopping into his truck wondering if her had heard her over the music that filled the cab.

Joss was smiling as Trent drove watching him grin, seeming to enjoy himself. They were heading for the country and she remembered her first house that she owned and how it was just a small farm house with nothing to it but came with 482 acres of land that she could do with as she pleased. But they had sold that house to move closer to the city. Joss had raised hell about still needing land and they compromised with the a half hour trip for him to go to work and a forty-five minute drive, sometimes and hour drive for her. But she didn't mind so much. Though the new house had less hand it was closer to the headquarter and back up against conservation land. So nit felt like she had more then her 20 acres.

"Are we stopping?" Joss asked her brow drawing together in question. "Are you afraid to get your truck dirty?" She teased with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. "Because we could have brought mine if you're too suit for some mud." She poked some more with a smile.

Trent laughed then stomped on the accelerator, letting the big diesel engine roar to life as he took off along the mudding tract he had set up. He looked at Joss, then winked before saying, "Your truck couldn't handle this course, darlin." Before hitting a huge mud lake and tearing through it.

Trent couldn't help but be happy. He forgot that he left his phone out on the seat by Joss, with the picture on display of the two men and his wife.

"WOOO!!" Joss screamed with laughter. There was nothing better then the roar of a heavy diesel engine and the high pitched whine that came with the turbos. Okay there were a few sounds that was just as good, the throaty growl of a real motorcycle and the happy neighing of horses playing. And maybe someone telling you that they love you but she hadn't heard that in so long Joss forgot what it felt like and didn't add it to the list.

There was some truth to what Trent said about Joss' truck. While her truck could make it thru it perfectly fine if it was a comparison between his and hers, his would win. Joss' truck was for farm work. Pulling stumps out of the ground, hauling trailers piled high with hay or filled with horses. A truck made for fun and games hers was not. "It could hold it's own." She defended because it was her truck and she loved Herman the second.

It was nice to be with Trent. Things didn't seem so bad with him because I knew he was going thru something akin to my marriage. But mostly it was the way I felt young and carefree with something real to smile about no matter how small this moment was.

As we hit the deep part of the mud something hit Joss' hand and she looked down finding Trent's phone. The screen was lite up, she guessed from bumping into her hand and what was on the screen was shocking only because she knew this was his wife.

"Oh my god." She quickly pressed the power button and the screen went black and she put the phone in the cut holder hoping that Trent didn't notice so she wouldn't have to explain what she had just seen. She didn't want to ruin the good time they were sharing. So to cover it up she rolled the window down just enough so she could stick her hand out. "Oh my god!" She repeated in a louder voice so that Trent would hear.

And when he turned his head, her hand dirty with mud reached out and ran a line down his face with a single finger. "I have mud on my hand." She tried not to laugh using her impression of a valley girl voice. "And you somehow have some on your face." She tilted her head confusion on her face, her smile of tried innocence. "How did that happen?"

Trent wiped the mud away, mock anger showing in his face as he suddenly gunned the truck, coating Joss's hand in mud.

He grinned then asked, "Now how did your hand get covered?"

Trent smiled as they both laughed and had a good time. He knew that she had seen the photo, but didn't really care anymore. What his wife did on her time didn't bother him anymore. tonight it was just about Trent having fun with a new friend.

"AH!" Joss laughed her hand getting covered. "Now what am I going to do with all of this?" She brought her hand back in and rolled up the window with her clean hand. "I think you should help me with this." She smiled evilly sliding over nest to Trent her hand out in front of her.